Difference between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Judaism

For the most part, modern Jewish history deals with the political, social and economic advancements achieved by the Ashkenazi communities in Europe, America, and later -- Palestine. Because of it's relatively small size and involvement in the affairs of 'civilized' countries of Europe and America, the Sephardi branch of Judaism is rerely dealt with in the context of modern Jewish history. Their developement is however, though not as influential upon the flow of the 'mainstream' …

…their developement and the final result of it. The history itself was shaped by the environment in which the exiled Jews found themselves, and the attitude of the people who surrounded them. This attitude was in turn based around their religious doctrine. (1) Bernard Lewis, 'The Jews of Islam' (2) Harvey Goldberg, 'Sephardi and Middle Eastern Jewries', introductoin p15 (3) Norman Stillman, 'Sephardi and Middle Eastern Jewries' Essay 1, 'Middle-Eastern and North African Jewries' p67 1996, Lev Epshteyn, SUNY Binghamton.